Alice Walker

There’s a difference between being in a group and being a leader in that group. Even if you are making a great contribution, and the group could not succeed without you, that doesn’t make you the leader. How do you become the leader? How do you achieve the power of leadership?

It’s not the one who is named the leader that sets the direction for the group. It’s who the group actually follows that is the leader. How is that different? Why would people follow anyone who doesn’t have the leader title?

In his best-selling book, The Leader Who Had No Title, Robin Sharma tells a wonderful allegory about true leadership power – and as the name suggests, it doesn’t come from a title. As Alice Walker put it, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

Here are the four leadership powers that we all possess regardless where you work, or your title:

1 – Every one of us alive in this moment has the power to go to work each day and express the absolute best within us. And you need no title to do that.

2 – Every one of us alive today has the power to inspire, influence, and elevate each person we meet by the gift of a good example. And you need no title to do that.

3 – Every one of us alive with life can passionately drive positive change in the face of negative conditions. And you need no title to do that.

4 – Every one of us alive to the truth about leadership can treat all stakeholders with respect, appreciation, and kindness – and in doing so raise the organization’s culture to best of bread. And you need no title to do that.

And here is the best summary of the power of leadership I have every read:

“Leave every single person who intersects your path better, happier, and more engaged than you found them.”– Robin Sharma